Sprinkler head



5. F. MARTIN SPRINKLER HEAD Filed April 19, 1948 INVENTOR.

SAM/1E1. 11" MART/N,

ATTORNEY.

i $5235 #5 flwas 2 l 1 4 w Patented June 26, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE 13 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in temperature-responsivesprinklers of the type used in fire prevention systems.

A great variety of temperature-responsive sprinklers have beenheretofore provided, these sprinklers being .capable of dischargingwater whenever the temperature within a closure exceeds a predeterminedmaximum. In sprinkling systems of this type, the conduits or pipes areconnected to a source of water under pressure, and although in someinstances the pipes themselves are concealed by the ceiling, sofiit,paneling or other surfacing material used on the interior of the room orother enclosure which it is desired to protect, the sprinkler headsthemselves protrude from such ceiling, soilit or paneling and extendinto the room or enclosure.

These protruding nozzles are objectionable, inasmuch as they impair theappearance of the room, interfere with ceiling decorations, impair thesymmetry of the room and cast undesirable shadows. Although fireprotection of the character given by automatic sprinkler systems ishighly desirable, the disadvantageous features hereinabove referred tohave in many instances prevented the utilization of such systems.

Generally stated, the present invention relates to a sprinkler assemblywhich may be used with water supply conduits extending through ceilingcavities or other surfaces beyond the ceiling, soffit or paneling of aroom. The sprinkler includes a nozzle arranged for connection with suchconduit, the nozzle being provided with an outlet port directed towardan opening or port cut in the ceiling or paneling. The nozzle isprovided with a slidable guide carrying a deflector. Frangible means areprovided for normally holding the deflector within the opening or portof the ceiling. Temperature-responsive, preferably fusible means areprovided for normally holding a closure, plug or valve over the nozzleoutlet. These elements are so arranged that the deflector is in acollapsed position (within or above the port or opening of the ceiling),but when the temperature-responsive means are released, the flow ofwater through the outlet port of the nozzle breaks the frangible meansand causes the deflector to extend into the room being protected,permitting the Water to be distributed over a large area in such room.

In addition, the invention contemplates the use of a housing around eachof the nozzles, said housing being capable of assisting in holding theceiling in position and properly correlat ing the sprinkler withrelation to the port in the ceiling. When the frangible means are of areticulated character, air from the room being safeguarded may readilyenter the housing and there act upon the fusible linkage, which releasesthe sprinkler plug.

It is an object of the present invention to disclose and provide asystem wherein the sprinkler heads are concealed and do not extend orprotrude into the room or enclosure which is being safeguarded.

A further object of the invention is to disclose and provide a sprinklersystem construction in which the temperature-responsive means arerendered more sensitive and more positive in operation.

A still further object is to provide a sprinkler head which will beobscure and may be used in any specially designed homes or places ofbusiness without marring the design of the place.

The above and other objects will be made apparent throughout the furtherdescription of the invention when taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, wherein like refer ence characters refer to likeparts. It is to be understood that the drawings are not a definition ofthe invention but merely illustrate one form to instruct those skilledin the art to manufacture and use the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a vertical, sectional view of a sprinkler head embodying theinvention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken alon the line IIII of Fig. 2.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line IIIIII of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line IV-IV of Fig. l. i

Fig. 5 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating anotherembodiment of the invention with the deflector in an extended position.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary side View, partially in section, ofthe yoke and supporting arm shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral It) indicates a wall or aceiling. Usually the fluid supply source is provided within the cavityabove progresses that the invention is equally adapted for use with aslanting wall or side wall.

For the purpose of obscuring the device and to render the fire-detectingelement more heat responsive there is provided a housing, represented inits entirety by 52, the housing l2 and heat-responsive unit beinglocated within or above the walls defining the enclosure to beprotected. Any number of the present sprinkler heads may be employed.However, it is only necessary for the purpose of this disclosure todescribe one device.

The nipple i8 supports the sprinkler head 2'3, which may consist of abody portion 24 being counterbored and having the upper opening threadedfor connection with the nipple i8 and a lower portion providing a portor nozzle which operates in the manner of a venture. A closure or valveit, which is more clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 is provided for the portor nozzle 2i.

For the purpose of maintaining the valve it in normal closed positionwith the port 21 there is provided a heat-responsive orfire-detectingelement 43 arranged to maintain the valve it in closedposition. The heat-responsive element :33 is supported by a yoke orframe having two parallel sides 26 and 2? depending from the nozzle 2|,each of which is bored to guide the legs of a slidable, U-shaped member35. The free ends of the legs of the U-shaped member 35 are providedwith stop members 37. The slidable, U-shaped member 35 is provided witha deflector 36, the latter being in alignment with the port 2|. Theheat-responsive unit 43 is a trigger mechanism which may include a pairof arms 44 and 45 having oppositely disposed head portions 4% and 41.These head portions seat together, as shown at 48, and may have a tongueand groove connection preferably with the groove in the upper one of thehead portions in order to prevent the collection of moisture orrust-collecting matter. The opposite ends of head portions GE and 41seat within recesses 5| and 6E provided in an adjusting screw 49 andvalve i5, respectively, the adjusting screw i9 being carried by asupporting arm 62 later to be described.

The seating point 38 of the trigger heads 46 and 41 is in a planeremoved from a vertical plane passing through the points 5! and 6!, sothat upon adjusting the screw 45) provided in the supporting member 62,the desired tension may be applied to the fire-detecting orheatresponsive element E5, the latter being arranged to hold the triggermechanism in tension responsive to the adjusting screw 49.

The U-shaped member 35 is normally held incollapsed position within thehousing i l. The

housing M may be constructed in two parts, the

lower portion 38 being telescoped within the upper portion for thepurpose of adjusting the length of the housing. The upper portion andlower portions of the housing may terminate in annular flanges 39 andit, respectively, and there is provided threaded means 553 connectingthe flanges 39 and 43 for adjusting the lower portion of the housingrelative to the upper portion.

The heat-responsive unit which may consist of the fuse l5, trigger arms4 and #35, arranged to normally maintain the valve I 6 in closedposition, may be of any selected type. The port 2! is provided with avalve seat ti for cooperation with the valve i5. As stated above, thevalve I6 is normally held closed by the heat-responsive unit 43. Usuallythe fire-detecting fuse l5 withstands approximately 15 to 20 lbs.pressure, which is sufiicient tohold the valve H5 in closed position.The supporting arm 62 rests upon inwardly projectinglower end portions'12 of the frame mem 4 bers 26 and 21. These inwardly projectingportions 12 may be beveled to receive corresponding grooves in thesupporting arm 62, as shown at 55. See Fig.4.

As an alternate, the inwardly projecting members i2 may present anupper, fiat surface, and the supporting member 62' provided with corree'sponding fiat surfaces. The opposing surfaces of the members l2 andsupporting members 62 maybe provided with indentations for receivingsteel balls H. The provision of the steel balls ll permits readydisplacement of the valve-retaining mechanism so that when thefire-detecting or heat-responsive unit i5 fuses, the trigger mechanismincluding the valve and the base 62 will be readily displaced and permitthe stream of water through the port or nozzle 2| to contact thedeflector 36 carried by the U-shaped member 35, the latter being held inplace by a frangible means 79. The frangible means 19 may comprise afragile grille formed in well-known manner of spaced intersecting barsmade of suitable frangible material such as glass or ceramiccomposition. The frangible means 19 is connected with and supported bythe lower end of the housing as shown at BG.

The housing i4 operates to localize and concentrate the heat about theheat-responsive element I 5 and causes the same to fuse more readilythan if the heat-responsive element were depending in the open space ofan enclosure to be protested.

Since the U-shaped. member 35 is slidable within the bores or guidesprovided in the frame members 26 and 2?, and held in collapsed positionby the fragile grille 19, which is of suificient strength to support theweight of the deflector 36 and the U-shaped structure 35 but willreadily give way in response to the pressure of water against thedeflector subsequent to the fusing of the fire-detecting element i5, thefragile grille 19 readily permits heat to enter the housing l4.

Aside from the present sprinkler head being disposed within the ceiling,the housing [4 cperates effectively to concentrate and localize the heatand more readily fuse the fire-detecting element.

In practice, it has been proven that the present construction of asprinkler head enclosed within the housing will fuse some three or fourseconds quicker than if the fire-detecting fusewere projected. into thecompartment being protected.

The present sprinkler head can be easily substituted for existingsprinkler heads by merely adjusting the length of the nipple I8. In mostcases, it has been found that the adjustable housing Hi permits theinstallation of the present sprinkler head without adjusting the lengthof the nipple 18.

It will be understood, however, that upon the Fig. 5 illustrates anotherembodiment of the,

invention, wherein the parallel frame members26 and 2'! are eachprovided with spaced bosses B6 and Bl. These bosses are provided withaligned bores for receiving the legs of the. U-shaped member 35. Thelegs of the U-shaped member 35 are s'lidable within the bores in thebosses 86 and 81 and will operate to maintain the deflector 36 in axialalignment with the venture or nozzle 21 of the sprinkler body 24,regardless of whether the sprinkler head depends vertically or at anangle. Both of the embodiments illustrated in Figs. 1 and 5 are adaptedfor use in any position that a sprinkler head may be required, such asceiling or side wall installations.

The present sprinkler head is not only efficient in operation but is sodesigned as to be placed inside of the wall of the enclosure orcompartment to be protected and eliminates the usual protrusions andshadows reflecting therefrom. Moreover, the present sprinkler head issimple in construction, durable and may be substituted in place of priorinstallations with a minimum amount of alterations in existingconstructions.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred form of the presentinvention, it will now be apparent to those skilled in the art thatvari- .ous changes, substitutions, omissions and additions may be madein the form shown without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An automatic temperature responsive sprinkler assembly for use with aconcealed conduit extending through a cavity in a ceiling and connectedto a supply of water, the ceiling having a port therein, comprising: anozzle member ineluding an outlet port; a yoke carried by the nozzle; aU-shaped member slidably carried by the yoke; a deflector carried by theU-shaped member in alignment with the outlet port of the nozzle; afrangible grille normally holding the U-shaped member and deflector in acollapsed position; stop means for arresting slidable movement of theU-shaped member in an extended position with the deflector extendingthrough and below the port in the ceiling; a closure for the nozzleoutlet port and temperature responsive means for releasing the closure,said frangible grille being des ructible under the force of waterpassing through the nozzle outlet to release the U-shaped member.

2. A sprinkler head for an automatic sprinkler system, an enclosurehaving a ceiling, an opening in said ceiling; a sprinkler head disposedcoaxially with said opening and positioned above the lower face of theceiling, said sprinkler head including a deflector normally positionedabove the plane of the lower surface of the ceiling; valve meansincluding fusible means for normally maintaining said valve means inclosed position, said fusible means being positioned between said valvemeans and said deflector, and means responsive to the fusing of saidfusible means for extending said deflector below the plane of the lowersurface of the ceiling.

3. An automatic sprinkler head for attachment to a sprinkler system, anenclosure having a wall, said sprinkler head lying outside of the innerface of said wall, said wall having an opening coaxial with thelongitudinal axis of said sprinkler head, a housing surrounding saidsprinkler head and supported thereby, said. housinghaving an openingtherein communicating with said enclosure by Way of the said opening insaid Wall; said sprinkler head including valve means, fusible meanswithin said housing disposed virtually parallel to the axis of the headfor normally holding said valve means in closed position, and meansresponsive to the fusing of said fusible means for displacing said valvemeans.

4. An automatic sprinkler head for attachment to a sprinkler system, anenclosure having a Wall, said sprinkler head lying outside of the innerface of said wall, said wall having an opening coaxial with thelongitudinal axis of said sprinkler head, a housing surrounding saidsprinkler head and supported thereby, said housing having an openingtherein communicating with said enclosure by way of the said opening insaid wall; a deflector normally lying outside the inner face of saidwall, fire-detecting means within said housing for actuating saidsprinkler head, and means carried by said housing independently of saidfire-detecting means responsive to the actuation of said sprinkler headto extend said deflector to said enclosure.

5. A sprinkler head including a body portion having a longitudinal boretherethrough, parallel frame members depending from said body portion,said frame members including bores parallel to the longitudinal axis ofsaid body portion, a U-shaped member having its legs freely slidablewithin predetermined limits in the bores in said frame member and adeflector carried by the said Ushaped member and positioned coaxiallywith the bore in said body portion.

6. A sprinkler in accordance with claim 5, wherein the said bore in saidbody portion is provided with a valve seat, a valve for said seat,heat-responsive means for displacing said valve, a housing for saidsprinkler head having an opening coaxial with the bore in said bodyportion, and means associated with the opening in said housing fornormally retaining the said deflector within said housing.

'7. A sprinkler head, adapted to be concealed above a ceiling having anopening therein, including: a body portion having a longitudinal boretherethrough; spaced frame members depending from said body portion;movable deflector means guidably held in axial alignment with said boreby said frame members and frangible means normally holding saiddeflector means in a plane of water passing through said bore wherebysaid deflector means drops to a plane below the lower surface of theceiling.

9. A sprinkler head, adapted to be concealed above a ceiling having anopening therein, including: a body portion having a longitudinal boretherethrough; spaced frame members depending from said body portion; aclosure for one end of said bore; temperature responsive means supportedbetween said frame members for displacing said closure; movabledeflector means guidably held in axial alignment with said bore by saidframe members and frangible means normally holding said deflector meansin a plane above the lower surface of the ceiling.

10. A sprinkler head of the character described in claim 9 wherein saidhead is enclosed Within a housing having an open end and said frangiblemeansextends across the open end of said housmg 11. A sprinkler head ofthe character described in claim 9 wherein said head is enclosed withina housing having an open end and said frangible means extends across theopen end of said housing, said housing being longitudinally adjustablefor positioning said frangible means in virtually the same plane as thelower surface of the ceiling.

12. In a sprinkler head assembly adapted to be concealed above a ceilinghaving an opening therein comprising the combination of: a nozzle memberadapted to be connected at one end to a water supply pipe and having anoutlet at the other end, a yoke depending from said nozzle member,deflector means axially aligned with said outlet end slidably mounted onsaid yoke; frangible means for releasably supporting said deflectormeans; valve means for said outlet; and temperature responsive meansbetween said valve means and said deflector means and within said yokefor releasably holding the valve means in closed position against saidoutlet.

'13. In a sprinkler head assembly adapted to be concealed above aceiling having an opening therein comprising the combination of: anozzle member connected at one end to a water supply pipe and having anoutlet at the other end; a yoke depending from said nozzle member; valvemeans for said outlet; temperature responsive means within said yoke fordisplacing said valve means; deflector means slidably mounted on saidyoke and axially aligned with said outlet and frangible means forreleasably supporting said deflector means.

SAMUEL F. MARTIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,211,399 Winslow Aug. 13, 19402,389,331 Tyden Nov. 20, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date250,385 Great Britain Apr. 15, 1926

